Sustainability in BİLGİ Curriculum

 ADY 101 – Emergency and Disaster Management I

Graduates of the program will be able to have an understanding of disaster management, preparedness, components of emergency and disaster management, secure life components.

 

ADY 104 – Emergency and Disaster Management II

The aim of this course is to introduce the students to principles of emergency and disaster management and the epidemiological consequences of disasters.

 

ADY 106 – Emergency and Disaster Legislation

The course aims to provide students with the basic information on how they can understand and apply the legal concepts in emergency and disaster management legislation.

 

ADY 203 – Emergency and Disaster Psychology

To provide individuals experienced a disaster or emergency have knowledge and skills to show correct reflex reactions against current situation.

 

ARCH 310 Introduction to Urban Design

This course aims at providing students with the skills to think, debate, design and/or intervene on various scales extending from architectural to urban. Accordingly, the course consists of two main modules: 'the urban question' and 'the public question'. The first module begins with a historical & theoretical framework that focuses on the contradiction of exchange & use value dimensions of urban development. After that, as a midterm evaluation, each student group is asked to examine a specific urban district that embodies two different urban patterns with different qualities in terms of both historical and morphological aspects. To this end, a rich case study pool is presented to students in a perspective ranging from planned - isotopic urban forms (city of developers) to organic - heterotopic urban - spatial practices (shaped by the needs and desires of people). In addition to the case studies, this first part of the course continues with seminars on the fundamental concepts of urban development - density, land use, zoning, mixed-use development, transportation and some other standards & regulations of land development, such as GSR, FSR, OSR, MXI etc. The second main module of the course is devoted to discussions of publicity, public sphere, and public space. In this context, the course is reinforced by two successive assignments. Both assignments are designed to help students establish theoretical and practical connections between the two modules. The urban patterns examined by the students in the first module will be expected to be reevaluated at this stage in the context of public life and physical characteristics of public space. As a final requirement, students will develop conceptual and/or spatial intervention strategies for their selected project areas by the agency of relevant case studies (interventionist - bottom-up urbanisms such as Tactical Urbanism, Guerilla Urbanism, Urban Acupuncture etc.). During the semester, some of the basic concepts of urban design (such as legibility, distinctiveness, accessibility, enclosures, comfort, safety, landmarks, vistas, focal points etc.) will also be the core of the discussions.

 

ARCH 317 – Materiality in Architectural Design

Materiality in Architectural Design course involves issues like comprehending building materials' main properties used in architectural design, classifying materials according their functions and origin. The first part of the course is mainly about stating material selection methods. In the second part of the course materials selection for buildings surfaces is realized using material selection methods.

 

ARCH 368 – Landscape and Urban Experience

The aim of the course is to provide students with the opportunity to experience the collective memory of the city, the transformation and transformation processes of the cities and the students view of the future of the design discipline.

 

ARCH 386 – Sustainability and Climatic Design in High Rise Buildings and Shading Devices

Environmentalism and sustainability philosophy, sustainable building principles and high rise buildings. Bio climatic architecture, climate factor for high rise building design. Solar geometry and shading devices.

 

ARCH 453 – Green Strategies

In this course, sustainability will be discussed within the context of architecture, green design principles, low-energy buildings, environmental consciousness, sustainable development, sharing economy and re-use, re-cycle, up-cycle strategies. The course framework not only consists of sustainability within the frame of how we design but also how we shape the physical environment with the acts and behaviors we commonly use in our everyday lives. The course consists of 2 parts; the first part will focus on designing a green house with the aim of reducing carbon footprint. The topic will be held in 5 major headlines; sustainable sites, water use reduction, energy and environment, material use selection and indoor air quality. During Part 1, students will be expected to develop a small scale building project individually, preferably a housing unit, to apply the green building principles held during the course. In midterm students are expected present their low-energy building design in a group exhibition. The second part, sustainability will be held within the context of consumption in fashion, food, waste and creating alternative green strategies to a livable future environment. Lectures will be held with guest lecturers and documentary screenings. In final work, the students are expected to develop a social project in groups that creates awareness of listed topics. Students are expected to use different medias: Posters, video, sound, social media, making participatory events (within Bilgi faculty campus) or writing.

 

ART 462 – Multiculturalism and the Arts

The aim of this course is to understand the cultural representation of difference. We will examine the responses and policies of artistic and cultural institutions about the issues of race, gender, and ethnicity. Starting with a brief survey of colonialism and decolonization, we will investigate and analyze the dynamics of power and visibility in arts and culture. This course will be taught entirely in English. All reading materials, writing assignments and exams will be in English. All reading materials will be posted on the course page on Bilgi LEARN website.

 

ASC 101 – Nutrition and Menu Planning

Background to the study of nutrition and food science, food and nutrition system, sustainability and security. Global public health nutrition priorities and strategies. Factors influencing food habits. Introduction to food sources and metabolic functions of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins and minerals, and the recommended dietary intakes for these nutrients. Introduction to nutritional status measurement and nutritional standards of reference. Collection, analysis and evaluation of food intake data. Design and Menu Planning

 

BIOE 438 Green Biotechnology

The course covers exploitation of plants and algae for the sustainable production of food and their utilisation as a source of renewable energy as a biofuel. In addition possibilities of using plants and algae as a novel means to generate pharmaceuticals and other novel products are discussed. The technologies of plant genetic engineering used to generate more efficient crop plants, healthy and nutritious foods, and other commercially attractive products are also explored in the course.

 

BUS 434 – Corporate Governance

A decade ago, the term corporate governance was largely academic jargon. Today, due to high profile corporate collapses such as Enron and WorldCom, the media regularly discusses corporate governance. The Turkish business community and policy makers have also started to question the current corporate governance practice in Turkey. The course aims to build on a sound theoretical base and encompasses the latest developments in this field. This course will help students understand the context in which corporate governance develops by highlighting the legal structure and capital market characteristics.

 

BUS 708 – Advanced Strategic Management

The aim of the course is to reveal the motives and patterns underlying firm behavior in different contexts. The major concern of strategic management theorists in relation to strategic choice, competitiveness, diversity, competition, cooperation and structuring of markets will be discussed from economic and sociological perspectives. Traditionally, strategic management was considered to be a practice experienced only by big firms. However, today, we have enough many theories and tools to apply the concept of strategy to small and medium sized firms, organizations of different character than production (services, entertainment, education..) and organizations with a different aim than profit (NGOs). Furthermore, traditionally, strategy was studied as an object where no emphasis was put on the processes where strategy is enacted, adapted and practiced. Currently, the field of strategic management has gone through a vast transformation where our understanding of strategy, strategizing and firm has been transformed as well. During the lectures based on transaction costs, resource-based view, new institutionalism, social networks and strategy-as-practice, students will be able to evaluate why some firms behave in a certain way, what influences their choice of a specific strategy, why they change their strategies.

 

CE 312 – Environmental Engineering

This course aims at providing the students with the knowledge on the basic concepts and applications in environmental engineering and acquainting them with environmental pollution which is one of the most important problems the modern world has to face with. Efficient use of water supply sources, transmission and distribution networks, wastewater collection systems, collection, treatment and disposal of solid and liquid waste material and recycling methods are among the main topics.

 

CGE – 104 – Special Education

It is aimed to teach how intelligent and developmental characteristics of children with special education need to be trained, the planning of education, the methods and techniques used in special education and the points to be considered in this education.

 

CLD 108 – Child and Environment

In this course, preparing programs and activities related to environmental concepts will be taught. In addition, planning and implementing these activities about environmental education will be discussed.

 

CLD 211 – Child Rights and Child Law

Main principles of children’s rights. Fundamental rights recognized by the U.N. Children's Rights Convention. Child Abuse and approach to child abuse victims. Protective and supportive measures for child victims of abuse and neglect. Juvenile Justice System and features.

 

CLD 404 – Negligence and Abuse of Children/Children in Need of Protection

The content of this course; The definitionof negligence, exploitation and force from different point analyse the characteristics of negligted and exploited children(development social etc.), the determination of neglected or exploited children and the planning the ways of trial and following of this process, definition of; the children who need protection, working at street, street children, workers children, the development characteristics of these children, giving families for adoption and the problems which families meet at this state.

 

CUL 407 - Legal Environment and Sustainability

This course is an introduction to how Global Agriculture and Sustainability issues are at the intersection ofnatural resource management and business. The course will devote a significant of time covering the fundamental principles of agribusiness and how sustainability issues are key factors in business decision making today and in the future.

 

CULT 543 – Violence, Trauma, Reconciliation

This seminar is designed to address the philosophical and ideological foundations of genocides and mass-killings by incorporating analyses from the disciplines of anthropology, history, sociology, political science and psychology.

 

EC 316 - Environmental Economics

Increasing pressure on the environment calls for urgent solutions. International organizations are trying to draw attention to the importance of solutions to environmental problems. Some of the topics to be covered in this course include: economy and the environment, sustainable economy, optimal pollution, environmental standards, measuring environmental damage, global pollution problems, ethics and future generations, environmental policies, green tax reforms, emission trading and international policies.

 

EC 404 – Energy Economics

The importance of energy in economic development is indisputable. Globalization and the trend towards liberalization, deregulation and privatization has also made energy markets centers of interest. Energy economics studies energy resources and energy commodities and includes the forces motivating firms and consumers to supply, convert, transport, use energy resources and to dispose of residuals. It also covers market structures and regulatory structures, distribution and environmental consequences and economically efficient use. The course on energy economics will also cover energy market models around the globe. Electricity markets will be analyzed in depth. The main emphasis will be on the differing experiences in electricity markets of countries and districts.

 

EC 405 – Agricultural Economics

Development should be seen as a process of inclusive growth.Economic growth should reduce poverty, improve equality,cause real improvements in people’s lives. Traditionally agriculture has been assumed to play a passive and supportive role in economic development.Today the agricultural sector in particular and rural economy in general must play an indispensible part in overall strategy of economic progress.In this course the preliminary concepts focusing on agriculture will be studied. This course aims to provide an introduction to the study of the agrarian economics. This course is an introductory course to agricultural economics.Agricultural production function,agricultural institutions,rural- urban economics,migration,agricultural development are some of the concepts to be aanalized in this course.

 

ERP 106 – Handicapped Sociology

The basic concepts of sociology, being disabled, social status of disabled people, their social participation and roles are examined on the basis of cultural and social differences.

 

ESEN 304 – Active/Passive Solar Energy Systems

This course covers energy related environmental problems, solar collectors, solar water heating, solar space heating and cooling, industrial process heat, photovoltaic, solar thermal power systems and modeling of solar systems including the use of artificial intelligence systems and performance prediction, environmental consequences of solar energy, solar desalination including indirect systems modeling and performance prediction of solar energy systems, worked examples and case studies.

 

ESEN 340 - Bioenergy: Fundamentals and Applications

The world energy demand has continuously increased in recent years due to the increase of world population and living standards. Most of this demand is currently supplied by fossil fuels even though they are quite harmful to the environment, and they are estimated to be depleted in the near future. On the other hand, energy derived from biomass is a clean and sustainable way of energy generation; hence, developing the current bioenergy technology is quite important. In this lecture, the heat and energy contents of biomass, the technology of bioethanol production and purification, production of biodiesel from vegetable oils, algae biofuel and production of gaseous fuels from wastes as well as the new trends of research on bioenergy are some of the subjects that will be covered.

 

ESEN 370 – Geothermal Energy Systems

In this course, historical evoluation of geothermal energy, power production and district heating application with geothermal fluids and other geothermal applications regarding to geothermal energy systems are explained. Different geothermal power production methods are evaluated from Turkey and from the world cases. Environmental effects of geothermal power plant is also examined in this course.

 

ESEN 405 – Energy Efficient Building Design

Definition of the parameters affecting the energy consumption in buildings, thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer and psychrometrics, economic decision, indoor and outdoor design conditions, heating and cooling load, energy estimating methods, system selection.

 

ESEN 408 - Energy Environment and Law

In this course, information on environmental pollution, environmental effects of different energy sources, global warming, internal legal regulations on energy and environment, basic environmental regulations regarding to EU,UN and the biggest environmental disasters related with energy sources are provided.

 

ESPR 113 – Sport and Society

What is the community and society, the nature of the relationship between sports and society and the impact of the sport on the social development, sports culture, society and participation in sports at a glance

 

ESPR 222 – Sport Policy

This course examines the relationship between sports and politics with two different perspectives. First, sports policy which it is expressed as sport-specific policies addressing sports associated with different size, second only to the general policy areas which constitute sporting addressing cross-cutting issues. In this course, especially local public policies will be discussed based on how it affects the sport at national and international level.

 

ESPR 322 – Sport Sociology

The course aims to discuss the relationship between sport and violence, gender, race and social class. The impact of sport in socialization and child development are among other issues which will be covered under this course.

FTV 132 – Film Culture II

This course is designed to familiarize the students with the main concepts of film culture. Students will explore in-depth the relation between film, culture, and gender. To this end, they will learn different ways of approaching film, and to problematize their individual differences in evaluation, referring to films assigned or screened in classes. Content and form, narrative and narration will be discussed in detail and each student will find a chance to figure out how s/he fits in the collective process of filmmaking. Students will be expected to think, discuss and write about the films based on the concepts and keywords discussed during classes. Attendance and participation are of primary importance. Missing more than three weeks (tutorial + class) will require repetition of the course.

 

GE 101 – Introduction to Practical Ethics

This online course on practical ethics will deal with everyday situations and value-based choices that individuals make within their own context. Students will discuss and analyse concepts such as responsibility, morality and values around a variety of cases within daily life, business and work life, education, health, social life and other forms of public confrontations. Controversial cases will be analysed through readings, case studies, infographics, cartoons and videos as well as interactive web sites prepared by relevant NGOs. The course will use active learning methodology and a variety of interactive methods including live online courses, documentary and fiction movies, forum debate, case studies and online discusssions. The course is designed to address students from all departments and doesn't require a philosophy background.

 

GE 104 Contemporary Issues in Environment and Ecology

This course aims at developing an understanding of the issues concerning the environment and ecology from a multidisciplinary perspective, especially focusing on problems arising from human intervention and attempted solutions thereof, trying to develop a universal approach by starting from everyday life and problems. Within this framework, earth system, ecosystems and their dynamics and the impact of human intervention will be analysed by dealing with: a) causes like resource use (renewable and non-renewable practices), industrialism and industrial production and consumption practices, global trade and consumption economy, waste, energy (production and use) and urbanisation: b) effects like loss of biodiversity and natural habitats, global climate change and deterioration of urban environment: c) impacts and reflections on human health, ecosystem resilience, human rights, gender equality, social justice and politics. Finally, various responses addressing these problems will be discussed: technologist responses and sustainable development, environmental policies, economic responses, international and national environmental law, voluntaristic approaches like corporate responsibility and individual solutions as well as environmentalist, ecologist and green movements and campaigns and environmental NGOs will be discussed from a perspective of citizenship, eco-criticism, and new social movements. The course will be run in an interactive way via film and documentary debates, case analysis, role playing and simulations, group work and guest speakers.

 

GE 105 – Gender in Everyday Life

This course begins by arguing that engaging with gender is important to understand how we live together socially and being gender aware means questioning the things we take for granted in our everyday lives. This course aims to provide an introduction to the idea and practice of gender equality. It aims to provide an understanding of what terms such as gender, gender equality, gender based discrimination, substantive equality etc. mean and how these terms come into play in the everyday relations we have within our society. Within this context, the course will focus on, terminology, a brief history of the formation of this language, and how gender intersects and interplays with different aspects of life, including but not limited to law, economics, participation, our bodies, and our perceptions.

 

GE 107 – Ecological Literacy and Sustainability

This course aims to provide students with an opportunity be able to assess ecological literacy and sustainability as a thought and action style as well as deal with the sustainability debate with an innovative, inclusive and holistic view and concrete examples. The course is consisted of two interrelated parts. First part deals with current era called Anthropocene (The Human Age) and reasons for this title, limits and boundaries of the planet, sustainability debate, concept of ecological literacy and practices of eco-literacy. Second part will include practice of sustainability as a contribution to the ongoing debate; circular economy, gift economy, voluntary simplicity, reclaiming of commons, questioning of ways of decision-making and innovative interventions in everyday life are among these practices to be analysaed thorughout the course. The course will be conducted online via movie and documentary screenings and reflections, case studies, articles, web sites and other interactive resources.

 

GE 110 – Introduction to Disaster and Emergency Management

This introductory level course intends to provide students with some basic knowledge and skills on Disaster and Emergency Management, with emphasis on disaster mitigation and disaster preparation stages of the disaster management cycle. The students will learn about the natural and man-made threats and hazards, and will understand how they evolve as disasters. The course will also help the students to develop an understanding the importance of vulnerability and disaster risk reduction as a part of sustainable development process. The factors that contribute to the formation of risks will be elaborated with examples gathered from daily practices and the students will be sensitized about the risks. During the course, the students will be given some basic tools to reduce the disaster and emergency risks in their personal, social and professional life. The students will use these tools in a number of exercises The course will address all stages of disaster management including (i) pre- disaster preparedness and mitigation, (ii) rescue and relief in the context of disaster and (iii) post disaster rehabilitation, reconstruction and recovery.

 

GE 114 Environmental Studies

The course is divided into three sections. First section consists the life, ecosystem and evolution. The section is basically an introduction of the nature of science and biology. The section focuses on the characteristics of living things, levels of organization of living things and the diversity of Life. Ecology concept is also included in the section to explain the complexity of interactions between organisms and their environments. Second section consists of the concept of technology (definition and types of technology), environmental impacts of technology and environmental problems due to technology. In the section, biotechnological applications particularly green technologies are discussed with the recent developments. Third section consists of three themes: Biological, Physical, and Human. The Biological theme focuses on the importance of biodiversity and the actions we can take to conserve basic ecosystem functions. Clean air and water resources, as elements of the Physical theme, are crucial to maintaining biodiversity and our basic life-support systems. Methods for minimizing air and water pollution and their negative impacts will be explored. The Human theme investigates how human development can be sustainable under the current pressures at local, regional, and global scales. Examples include water reuse, green building, and recycling. The course uses video presentations, movies, exercises, assignments, and many additional sources to provide information and enrichment. No previous knowledge on environmental issues is needed. WARNING: This course will be held in Çanakkale-Güzelköy as part of BİLGİDoğada Summer School Module. Students who have not received the approval of program authorities cannot select this course, in case of selecting this course their selection will be invalid.

 

GE 117 – Social Groups and Discrimination

This course aims to analyse discrimination from an interdisciplinary perspective. It will focus on different approaches to discrimination developed by Psychology, Social Psychology and Sociology. The course will cover the literature to understand the causes of discrimination and ways to combat prejudice and discrimination. Topics will include ethnic, religious and gender based discrimination as well as xenophobia, Antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-migrant attitudes. WARNING: This course will be held in Çanakkale-Güzelköy as part of BİLGİDoğada Summer School Module. Students who have not received the approval of program authorities cannot select this course, in case of selecting this course their selection will be invalid.

 

GE 120 – Special Topics on Practical Ethics

The course has been designed to help students grasp analytically the contemporary debates about ethics. It is at the introductory level. To comprehend analytically the contemporary ethical debates is significant when it comes to citizenship.

 

GE 201 – Social Responsibility Project I

This course with a general aim to raise students' awareness about human rights, democracy and associated values and to improve their abilties to conceptualize the problems they face/witness in daily life within a human rights framework, aspires to enrich students' attitudes to position themselves against human rights violations and their sense of respect about diversities in and multicultural aspects of society. It is also designed as a conceptual base to make it possible that aforementioned educational gains can be transformed into voluntary experiences from an active citizenship point of view. The course is being carried out in a participatory and student-centered way making use of group work and discussions based on students' experiences. By applying non-formal, participatory experiential learning methods, it is intended to provide a space for students where they can learn from each others' experiences and from other active agencies in civil society.Throughout the semester, following the first part of the course where concepts such as democracy, voluntarism/active citizenship, civil society, human rights, youth and social rights are discussed using experiential learning techniques; thematic worksops about children's rights, women's rigths,environmental rights etc are conducted with the assistance of different NGOs and people working there. In the last part,students are expected to work in small groups in the project cycle management framework step by step and develop a social responsibility project proposal that they can realize in following semesters.

 

GE 208 – Special Topics on Global Civics

It has become clear that we live in an increasingly interdependent world. What is less clear is what sort of responsibilities we have towards each other. Without at least a draft of a global social contract, it would be next to impossible for us to navigate our epic global interdependence. This course is predicated on the conviction that a well-rounded university experience in the 21st century has to include a conversation about our responsibilities towards the whole of humanity, and the corresponding rights we all have.

 

GE 212 - Social Entrepreneurship in Turkey

Social Enterpreneurship in Turkey course aims to give a basic understanding of social enterpreneurship and its current situation in Turkey. Social entrepreneurs are those individuals who claim to contribute to the solution of the problems we face, through the social innovation projects they develop. Each project carried out by the social entrepreneurs does not only contribute to the solution of the relevant problem, but also changes the attitude, perception, behavior and methods that cause the problem. Through guest speakers, case discussion, lecture, film screening, and student presentations the course will be implemented in an interactive way.

 

GE 216 – Aging and the Elderly: Interdisciplinary Perspectives

The population of the world is aging rapidly and this presents all of us with serious challenges in the future. What are the dynamics of aging from the perspective of the individual and society? What are the costs? What are the benefits? What are the problems and constraints faced? More specifically, who will look after the growing proportion of old people in the near future? How will society afford to care for them? What contributions might the elderly make to society and to their own lives? Where does Turkey stand with regard to these issues? How can we assure that the elderly in this society age with dignity? There is a great need to develop and awareness of aging issues. We all have a vested interest in aging, as we all hope to get there some day. This course deals with these and many other issues from the perspectives of the behavioral and social sciences, and the humanities: Philosophy, psychology, sociology, cognitive sciences, social policy, demography, law, philosophy, and communication. Issues such as biological rhythms and aging; aging and cognition; aging and the self; aging, population and gender; aging and sexuality; the representation of aging in textbooks and the media; the elderly and human rights; aging and social policy; and aging and health technologies will be dealt with.

 

GE 218 – Experiencing Biomimicry: Innovation inspired by Nature

This is an introduction course bringing the new scientific discipline of biomimicry to our students. The students do not need any background knowledge in the field and different department students are encouraged to take the course. Innovation for sustainability involves making intentional changes to products, processes and policies to be able to produce environmental, social and economic values simultaneously. Growing global and interlinked concerns about environmental, social and economic issues proved that an importance on sustainability worldwide should be given today. There are many ways of sustainability; this course will focus on biomimicry, an approach to innovation that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns, functions and strategies. Nature offers countless inspiration for sustainable innovations, but how do we access the wealth of biological information available and apply it effectively to innovation? With this course students will experience biomimicry that answers this question via emulating nature's best ideas and blueprints in order to solve human design challenges. Our goal will be to understand Life’s (Nature’s) principles, to use nature as a model, mentor and measure, and to create products, processes, and policies that are well adapted to life on earth in the long run. There will also be discussions on how we can learn from nature’s principles to be more adaptive and resilient in volatile times, given current sustainability challenges.

 

GE 220 – Introduction to Corporate Social Responsibility

This class will explore the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) through interactions of society and business. The purpose of the course is to give an in-depth understanding of the meaning and the practice of social responsibility in companies. Besides reviewing theoretical approaches, the module will look into real life examples of what has worked for companies and what hasn't in the CSR domain.

 

HM 031 – European Union and Health

Generally, content of this course consist of the EU, the EU-Turkey relations, the EU and Health, the analysis and evaluation of Turkey-the EU relations in terms of health and health policies.

 

HM 216 – Sociology of Health

Content of health and society course consist of issues health, diseases and community definitions and theories, explanations and approaches of health and illness, factors affecting health, social determinants of health and analysis of health with community relations in a conceptual framework. 

 

HM 319 – Crisis and Stress Management

Aim of the course is to give information about the crisis and stress and crisis and ensure that they act consciously against the negative effects of stress.

 

HRM 506 – Labour Relations and Labor Law

This course is designed to introduce students the basic functions of employment law in the context of the individual employment relationship and to enable them to understand law and its implications on the employment context. It is aimed to provide a basic knowledge of the principles of employment law and the legal structure of the conclusion, terms and termination of the employment contract. 

IND 411 – Principles of Conservation and Restoration

The course aims to asses cultural assets and historical landscape in regard of socio-economical, cultural and physical changes they experienced through their life time; comprehend their characteristics and evaluate their significance. The students will study renovation and re-use for preservation, and learn to collectdata and constitute a scientific perspective in order to preserve their urban and architectural values. The main purpose of the course is to provide students a historical and social awareness and skills to implement them.

IR 124 – Global Challenges

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to some of the global issues we face as citizens of an increasingly connected world as well as the actors and the institutions that are involved in addressing these global chalenges. It also aims to present the different patterns and ideas that help explain how the international system operates. Lectures, discussions, readings and assignments will encourage critical thinking about many of the political, social, economic and security issues we take for granted.

 

IR 435 – Social Policy

This course is designed to discuss current issues in social policy by rethinking the boundaries of politics within the framework of globalization. Throughout the course, social welfare policy and social citizenship will be analyzed by focusing on social structures and economic development. The contending theories on the causes of poverty and the approaches to the welfare state will be studied. The course encourages students to adopt an analytical and critical focus upon these issues which raise important political, social, moral and philosophical dilemmas. With this aim, the construction of social problems linked to states of poverty, including feminization of poverty, hunger, homelessness, health care, child labor, disabilities, educational inequality, unemployment, old-age, pensions, and discrimination, will be examined.

 

ISG 210 – Environmental Protection and Recovery Information

Environmental Protection and rescue practices on workplace level in Turkey, Environmental Law, Environmental Management, Environmental Management Systems, Missions of OHS Experts on the subject of Environmental Management.

ISG 216 – Occupational Safety and Environmental Management Systems

Environmental protection and rescue practices on workplace level in Turkey, environmental law, environmental management, environmental and OHSAS 18001 management systems, missions of occupational health and safety experts on the subject of environmental management.

 

ITL 560 – E-Government

The digital transformation has a significant influence on the delivery of public services. While certain public services benefit from the digital instruments, certain public services are delivered completely in the digital environment. The process, so-called e-government transformation, is a quite complex process, which encapsulates legal, technical and economic dimensions. The main objective of this course is fully examining the concept of e-government and the implementations of e-government projects in Turkey. Within the scope of the course, the current IT infrastructure in Turkey and the public IT projects will be examined from a legal perspective. In particular, the transformation of e-government will be subject to a comprehensive analysis in terms of information security, data protection, efficiency and sustainability.

 

JUS 113 – Principles of Constitutional Law – Fundamental Rights and Freedoms

This course focuses on the development of constitutions since the Ottoman Empire as well as concepts of democracy, secularism, rule of law, welfare state, human rights, principle of equality which also defined as the principles of the state in Constitution. During the course topics as, but not limited to, political parties, electoral systems, freedom of expression and association, freedom of religion, constitutional proceedings, independence of judiciary, right to a fair trial, social rights and limitation of fundamental rights and freedoms will be considered in detail. The emergence and functioning of the judicial review of constitutionality and standards set forth by the international bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights and Venice Commission will be particularly emphasized whilst encouraging students to analyze the decisions of these judicial bodies. The structure of legislative, executive and judicial organs and their fundamental functions will be reiterated generally in abstract and those topics will be considered within the scope of constitutional developments.

 

JUS 222 – Principles of Labour Law

This course will cover the basics of labour law, such as concepts of employee, employer, employer representative, subcontractor, workplace and undertaking. Regulation of employment contracts, rights and obligations of employees and employers, working hours, vacation days, and ending of employment contract will be discussed in more detail.

 

LAN 130 – Laz Language

This course aims to present the alphabet and fundamental structures of the Laz Language. By presenting the basic grammatical structures and vocabulary used in daily life, the course will provide the students with the basic knowledge of expressing themselves in Laz Language. This course is a beginner level, only for students who do not have any Laz language background or for students who have very little knowledge.

LAN 210 – Turkish Sign Language I

Turkish Sign Language is a visual language used by hearing impaired which consists of hand gestures and facial expressions. The purpose of this elective course is to teach the alphabet, basic vocabulary and grammar structure of Turkish Sign Language and to enable the students to communicate with deaf people. This course is also recommended to all students who would like to develop their non-verbal communication skills.

 

LAN 220 – Turkish Sign Language II

This course aims to develop the vocabulary, grammar knowledge and conversational fluency of students who have taken Turkish Sign Language I. Students who pass the course can take a certified Turkish Sign Language examination.

 

LAW 216 – Right to Individual Appliaction to the Constitutional Court

In this course, the obligations of the state and the restriction and guaranty system of the rights and freedoms set forth in the Turkish Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights will be focused upon. During the course the material scope and content of the each will also be identified and the procedural aspects of individual application will be dwelled upon. By analysing the jurisprudence of European Court of Human Rights and the Constitutional Court, the course will provide sufficient knowledge regarding individual application to the Constitutional Court which is a recently established judicial remedy for human rights violations in Turkey.

 

LAW 406 – Street Law Clinic II

The course, started in 2003 at BİLGİ, remains a rare example of a course being taught in a prison setting anywhere in the world. This course aims to empower vulnerable persons through the provision of legal information relevant to their lives by law students. In this course, for nine weeks students teach convicts and those detained for trial in women's and men's prisons in İstanbul. In taking this course, students have the opportunity to view the law through the eyes of those who live it and develop first-hand experience regarding prisons while also developing skills such as teaching with interactive methods, speaking in public and responding to spontaneous questions.

 

LAW 461 – Human Rights Law

The aim of this course is to explore substantive International Human Rights Law as well as international human rights monitoring mechanisms. In this regard, the main focus of the course will be the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights. Discussion of the current national and international human rights issues will also be part of the course.

 

LAW 502 – Gender and Law

The dominance of the patriarchal society over women, or the distinction between sexes, corresponds to the emerging of the society. Therefore we have to admit the existence of a relationship with political power which affects sexuality. This relationship, on the one hand, defines the gender roles and, on the other hand, transforms sexuality from being a natural fact into a social one. Without considering this aspect of political power, every proposition about the social and the legal will remain incomplete. This course aims to encourage a discussion about this aspect of political power.

 

LAW 518 – Human Rights of Women

The aim of this course is to discuss the theory of human rights from a women's rights perspective. Human rights of women is a relatively recent phenomenon as compared to the development of the general human rights framework. The human rights standards did not take into consideration women's needs and experiences. As a consequence, the struggle to incorporate the human rights of women into the body and mechanisms of the international human rights framework took place. This struggle has culminated in the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and its Optional Protocol by the United Nations, as well as the adoption of other international documents and protection mechanisms by regional organizations. Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) is one of the latest developments in that respect. Concepts such as gender, women's human rights, discrimination against women, equality between men and women, domestic violence and women's access to justice will be analyzed in this course. The historical development of the women's rights movement and feminism in the world and in Turkey will also be discussed. Violations of women's human rights and selected cases will be examined.

 

LAW 577 – Refugee Law

This course will first cover the basic principles and concepts of refugee law in the light of the 1951 Geneva Convention, the Protocol and the Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status. Furthermore, the relevant provisions of European Community Law and the practice under the European Convention on Human Rights will be focused upon. Finally, the Turkish legal practice will be reviewed with special emphasis on the implementation of the 1994 By-law and complaints brought before the Turkish Courts.

 

LAW 517 – Human Rights Activism I

This course aims to analyze and discuss the meaning and function of the different forms of social organizations which are dealing with to protect and promote of human rights. Today, the activities which are called as ‘activism’ and realized by society organizations or NGOs have an important role in parallel with the traditionally established remedies with having an impact even over those remedies to transform their characteristics. In this context, an activism study with such priorities, it is crucially important to discuss the conceptual framework which is mainly based on the post-war social thought. So, this course gives an opportunity to the students to present and share their educational background with others and accelerates the interdisiciplinary output. New social movements, post-colonialist rights discourse, human rights – civil rights discussion, “regarding the pain of others” (Susan Sontag), activism and philanthropy, are among the topics which will be discussed in this course.

 

LAW 585 – Human Rights Activism II

Human Rights Activism – II could be taken after completing the course LAW 517 (Human Rights Activism – I) or separately. This course aims analyzing and discussing the living human rights activism, a way of political and social opposition, not through the interpretation of legal instruments but through the activities, initiatives, campaigns, etc., briefly considering the real activism, occurred in the city of İstanbul mainly and in Turkey or in the world. In this framework what tried to be seen is the discourse and methods through which the human rights activism carries out for the empowerment of rights. In this context, understanding the social, political and cultural environment of rights activism and discussing the innovation and dynamism in varying tools and methods developed in activist movements is another aim of the course. Dealing with the past, strategy and tactics in human rights activism, tactical analysis, tactical mapping exercise, effect of artistic expression over activist discourse will be some titles which will be discussed throughout the course. The course also covers off-campus visits and guest speakers.

 

LAW 638 – Business and Human Rights

Legal developments relating to the protection of human rights are not limited to the activities of persons who act on behalf of governmental authorities. It is possible to encounter cases between private persons which may be defined as human rights violations and the law should also function in this area. So, the legal discipline, “human rights law”, should consider this fact. The course “Human Rights in the Business World” aims to discuss the international legal standards on protecting human rights in establishing, managing or ending business relations with special reference to existent cases at the national or transnational level. In this course, the effects of globalization on national and international business relations will also be discussed in the light of the existent or developing international human rights norms. In this framework, the in-house relations of a corporation will also be covered. The investment conditions and local or transnational effects of the activities of corporations toward people or the environment will be discussed in the same context.

 

LAW 661 – Individual Application to the Turkish Constitutional Court

This course focuses on the individual application to the Constitutional Court which is the prominent mechanism established for the human rights violations in Turkey. During the course the material scope and content of the each right an freedom will also be identified and the procedural aspects of individual application will be dwelled upon. By analysing the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court, the course will provide sufficient knowledge regarding the individual application to the Constitutional Court which is a recently established judicial remedy for human rights violations in Turkey.

 

LAW 696 – LGBTI and Human Rights

The aim of this course is to analyse and discuss the discrimination based on sexual orientation, along with the civil rights of sexual minorities within the framework of international human rights, foreign legal systems and Turkish law. The concept of sexual orientation and non-discrimination principle, right to respect for private and family life, legal aspects of the gender reassignment process, right of access to employment, health and education, freedom of expression, assembly and association are some of the topics covered in this course. Civil rights of sexual minorities in the world will be analysed with court decisions and regulations in order to develop considerable solutions to the current situation in Turkey.

 

LENGR 400 – Ethics in Engineering and Science

This course discusses ethical issues in the practice of engineering and science. Code of ethics for engineers, professional liability to clients, employers, and society, distinction of responsibility and accountability, legal obligations, and regulatory areas of concern to engineers, such as labor, safety and the environment, are among the topics examined. Case studies will be analyzed to understand concrete problems and their consequences.

 

MED 378 – Media and Human Rights

This course aims to expand students' understanding of the term ‘human rights' in theory and practice. It will interrogate the complex relationship between media and human rights with a focus on the rights of children, the elderly and the disabled, and issues such as terrorism, immigration, discrimination, hate speech, genocide and the death penalty. The monitoring and reporting of human rights violations will also be discussed.

 

MUS 460 – Music and Gender: Women in Music

This course intends to give students the awareness and theoretical background to understand the major role that gender plays in music. The role of women in diverse music cultures throughout the world, cultural representations of women in many genres of music, questions concerning gender, gendered metaphors common in discourse about music will be among the major concerns to be addressed. The main aim of this course is to understand music with the aid of theories of the cultural studies, thus formal music education is not a requirement. However, enthusiasm to conduct research about music and the role gender plays in it, is a must.

 

NHS 306 – Reproductive Health and Family Planning Counseling

Conceptual framework for reproductive and sexual health, gender identity development and gender roles, sexual orientation, physiology of sex acts, cultural and social effects on the sexuality, safe sex, sexual abuse and violence, sexual dysfunctions and their multidisciplinary management, reproductive and sexual rights, advocacy for reproductive , sexual rights, states of family planning in Turkey, traditional and modern family planning methods, principles of family planning consultacy

 

PRF – 304 – Protection and Development of Health

The course allows students to adopt a holistic approach to health; aims to make students have knowledge and vision on the protection and development of health.

 

PSY 341 – Social Psychological Perspective on Sex and Gender

This course aims to introduce students to the range and complexity of thinking theoretically about gender. It has an interdisciplinary and contextual emphasis, including both a historical overview of theories about gender differentiation and inequality and an examination of current dialogues. A major goal is to offer a critical perspective about the meaning of gender and of the many ways in which gender structures social life. There will also be a consideration of diversity within gender and the intersection of sex-gender and other social, cultural psychological relations and experiences.

 

PUB 313 – Corporate Responsibility

With the growing global interest in sustainable development and the role of corporate sector towards a better, greener future; today consumers, investors, governments and even employees are becoming more aware of good corporate behavior. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) or Corporate Sustainability is the accepted term used to describe the business world’s effort to contribute towards a better more sustainable world. This course examines why and how CSR emerged in late 1980s, matured in the 1990s, evolved into a leading global management practice complete with performance indicators and assurance standards and how companies incorporate social, environmental and economic sustainability into their strategic business planning processes.

 

PUB 513 – Social Responsibility and Sustainability

Interaction between real-life practices with ethics and responsibility, as well as sustainability, economic/social/environmental impact, impact assesments, reporting and international standards on these issues will be the focus of this course. 

 

SAG 208 – First Aid

It is to ensure that those involved in the intervention in accident and injury situations play a decisive role in sustaining life, preventing injuries and shortening the recovery period.

 

SHL 104 – Human Rights and Social Service

Aims to have knowledge about human rights legislation, to grasp the rights perspective, to recognize human rights practices and violations of rights.

 

SHL 108 – Women Studies and Social Service

This course provides the gender theories from history to contemporary, and questions the causes of the gender problems. The disadvantaged position of women in society will be approached with the reasons and the cases, as the main issue of the course. For instance, the existence problem of women in public and private spaces, and the problems and also solutions in social service, in education and health service sectors, and so on examples will be discussed. The aim of the course is provide an awareness and a critical perspective to women’s position and women problems in society.

 

SHL 203 – Non-governmental Organizations ad Social Service

This course aims to discuss about the fundamentals of non-governmental organizations in the context of social work. The major concepts and principles of, and also scope of application of non-governmental organizations will be addressed as: development and function of non-governmental organizations and its effects on the society; non-governmental organizations and risk groups; social development; voluntarism; management in non-governmental organizations; and social service activities of non-governmental organizations.

 

SHL 204 – Crisis and Stress Managements

The aim of this course is to enable social workers and social workers to learn psychosocial approach models and psychosocial support types in crisis situations, psychological traumas and disasters, and to learn the role of them as technicians.

 

SHL 207 – Migration and Social Service

The course expected to develop awareness of the basic concepts of migration, and reasons and results of migration. The role and importance of social work, types of migration and different social problems related to different migration types, ongoing applications, and national and international legislations on migration will be discussed.

 

SOC 256 – Sociology of Discrimination and Intergroup Relations

Turkey has been undergoing major transformations for the last two decades. Different ethnic, religious and sexual-orientation groups claim for recognition. These claims involve two processes: they may increase tensions between groups and lead to reach solutions to some problems. This process requires focusing on intergroup relations as well as the concepts of prejudice, stereotype and discrimination. This course aims at elaborating on the problem of discrimination in the context of Turkey and the world. The course focuses discrimination on the basis of ethnic-religious identity, gender and sexual orientation and disability.

 

SOC 322 – Sociology of Gender and the Family

The course aims to provide students with a gender perspective in the study of the family and awareness of gender in the study of all social relationships. Conceptual debates and major social theoretical perspectives on family and gender will be critically reviewed. A historical and cross-cultural study of gender roles, statuses and identities as well as gender relations will be examined.

 

SOC 332 – Social Inequality

The course is based on the study of structured social inequalities. Discussion focuses on the classical theories of social stratification, class and social mobility and on recent contributions to the ongoing debate in the field. With regard to the post-industrial world, focus is placed on both the persistence (or not) of social class as an empirical phenomenon and its relevance as an analytic tool for understanding societies. Empirical studies of social inequality in various societies, notably in Turkey, are considered within the framework of changing theoretical issues on gender, race, ethnicity, and health.

 

TECH 521  - Sustainability and Ethics

This course aims to look at the economic and ethical perspectives of individuals and to make their ientrepreneur efforts sustainable by evaluating its social, economic, environmental and social dimensions. The course includes topics such as the emergence and history of the concept of sustainability, the transition from Homo Sapiens to Homo Economicus in the framework of social theory, defining business opportunities created by issues of ethics, eco-entrepreneurship, social and environmental issues in international entrepreneurship and related business models, sustainable fair trade. It is planned that the students will learn the concepts they see throughout the course by applying them through a term project.

 

THM 412 - Sustainability and Ethics

Sustainability and ethics are two concepts that focus on issues beyond those short term and individual visions of people and businesses. The course introduces environmental, social, and economic pillars of sustainability and different models of business ethics, and further relates these concepts within the sphere of the tourism industry.

 

THM 510 – Community based mental health approaches in disaster settings

The aim of this course is to introduce the students with the community based approaches to mental health, with special emphasis on disaster settings. Services for women, children, elderly, persons with disabilities and with severe mental disorders will will at the core of this course.

 

TVJ 416 – Environmental Journalism

This course aims to teach students the important elements in the field of environmental journalism. Students learn to gather information for news, news production and interview techniques. Each class will start with a brief introduction about journalism in general and new media issues, and then will continue with weekly issues identified in the field of environmental journalism. Aside from the theoretical part, the practical part of the course will consist of news production in the field and interviews with professionals. The students will learn the theory and get to practice environmental journalism through production of reports relating to each course's given subject.